Photochromic vehicle window

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure describes various vehicle window assemblies including a photochromic window and a mounting assembly surrounding at least part of the window. The mounting assembly may be sized and configured for mounting to the cabin of a vehicle. The photochromic window may include a region configured to at least partially inhibit transmission of light in a visible, IR or UV frequency range upon exposure to a level of light.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 14/951,466, filed Nov. 24, 2015, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for allpurposes.

BACKGROUND

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to vehiclewindows, including windshields, door windows and/or roof windows, thatmay be installed, for example, in an electric vehicle.

Technology related to tinting vehicle windows typically involvesselecting a desired tinting as measured by VLT (visible lighttransmission), and cutting and applying tint films with a correspondingVLT. However, such procedures are limited in their ability to provide atint that is optimal for all driving conditions, such as day, night,overcast, raining, snowing, etc. Additionally, as the plastic tint filmsage over time, they may develop roughness on the surface, flake and/orpeel.

Suboptimal window tinting can lead to various problems under differentconditions, e.g. depending on whether there is too little, or too muchtinting for the current conditions. For example, The absence of tinting(or too little tinting) can increase the risk of skin cancer fromlong-term exposure to light, cause eye damage due to high-intensitylight exposure, and/or increase cabin temperatures to levels thatdamage, fade or otherwise accelerate the deterioration of the vehicleinterior. Too much tinting can also affect the driver's ability to seeat night or other relatively low-light conditions, and/or obstructdesired views through roof windows and the like.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may address at leastsome of the above-noted problems. For example, according to firstaspects of the disclosure, a vehicle window assembly may include one ormore of a photochromic window, and a mounting assembly surrounding atleast part of the window. In embodiments. the mounting assembly may besized and configured for mounting to the cabin of a vehicle. Inembodiments, the photochromic window may include a region configured toat least partially inhibit of light in a frequency range upon exposureto a level of light.

In embodiments, the frequency range may include at least one of avisible spectrum of light, an infrared spectrum of light, or anultraviolet spectrum of light.

In embodiments, the frequency range may be limited to a range includingat least some visible spectra of light, for example 400 to 1071 THz, 400to 800 THz, 667 to 1071 THz, 667 to 800 THz, etc.

In embodiments, the frequency range may include an infrared spectrum oflight, for example 37 to 400 THz, 214 to 400 THz, 100 to 214 THz, 37-100THz, and combinations thereof.

In embodiments, the frequency range may include an ultraviolet spectrumof light, for example 800 THz to 30 PHz.

In embodiments, inhibiting the transmission of the light may include atleast one of absorption or reflection of the light.

In embodiments, inhibiting transmission of the light may includechanging a transmittance of the light in the frequency range through thewindow from greater than 90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than20%, less than 10%, or 5%. In embodiments, the transmittance of thewindow may vary between more than two levels and/or progressively from amaximum transmittance to a minimum transmittance.

In embodiments, the photochromic window may include microcrystallinesilver halides and the level of light may include an intensity ofultraviolet light. In embodiments, the photochromic materials mayinclude spiropyrans, spirooxazines, diarylethers, azobenzenes,photochromic quinones and/or inorganic photochromics.

In embodiments, the window assembly may be at least one of a windshield,a rear window, a door window, or a roof window.

In embodiments, the window assembly may be a roof window comprising over25%, 50% or 75% of the surface area of a roof of the cabin.

In embodiments, the region may be smaller than the total surface area ofthe photochromic window.

According to further aspects of the invention, a vehicle cabin windowmay include one or more of a window pane sized and configured formounting to a cabin of a vehicle, and a photochromic region configuredto at least partially inhibit transmission of at least one of a visiblespectrum of light, an infrared spectrum of light, or an ultravioletspectrum of light upon exposure to a level of light.

In embodiments, the frequency range may be limited to a range includingat least some visible spectra of light, for example 400 to 1071 THz, 400to 800 THz, 667 to 1071 THz, 667 to 800 THz, etc.

In embodiments, the frequency range may be limited to or include aninfrared spectrum of light, for example 37 to 400 THz, 214 to 400 THz,100 to 214 THz, 37-100 THz, and combinations thereof

In embodiments, the frequency range may be limited to or include anultraviolet spectrum of light, for example 800 THz to 30 PHz.

In embodiments, inhibiting the transmission of the light may include atleast one of absorption or reflection of the light.

In embodiments, the photochromic window may include microcrystallinesilver halides and the level of light may include an intensity ofultraviolet light. In embodiments, the photochromic materials mayinclude spiropyrans, spirooxazines, diarylethers, azobenzenes,photochromic quinones and/or inorganic photochromics.

In embodiments, the window may be a windshield, a door window, or a roofwindow.

In embodiments, the window may be a roof window comprising, for example,over 25%, 50% or 75% of the surface area of a roof of the cabin.

In embodiments, the level of light may include an intensity ofultraviolet light.

In embodiments, inhibiting transmission of the light may includechanging a transmittance of the light in the frequency range through thewindow from greater than 90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than20%, less than 10%, or 5%. In embodiments, the transmittance of thewindow may vary between more than two levels and/or progressively from amaximum transmittance to a minimum transmittance.

According to further aspects of the invention, a vehicle including oneor more photochromic windows, as described herein, may be provided.

According to further aspects of the invention, methods of manufacturinga vehicle including one or more photochromic windows, as describedherein, may be provided.

Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may beset forth or apparent from consideration of the following detaileddescription, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood thatboth the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and intended to provide further explanationwithout limiting the scope of the invention claimed. The detaileddescription and the specific examples, however, indicate only preferredembodiments of the invention. Various changes and modifications withinthe spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the detailed description serve to explain the principlesof the invention. No attempt is made to show structural details of theinvention in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamentalunderstanding of the invention and various ways in which it may bepracticed. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a window assembly, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a partial schematic diagram of a vehicle including a panoramicwindow, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic diagram of a vehicle including cabinwindows, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments of the present disclosure will be describedbelow with reference to the drawings constituting a part of thedescription. It should be understood that, although terms representingdirections are used in the present disclosure, such as “front”, “rear”,“upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, and the like, for describing variousexemplary structural parts and elements of the present disclosure, theseterms are used herein only for the purpose of convenience of explanationand are determined based on the exemplary orientations shown in thedrawings. Since the embodiments disclosed by the present disclosure canbe arranged according to different directions, these terms representingdirections are merely used for illustration and should not be regardedas limiting. Wherever possible, the same or similar reference marks usedin the present disclosure refer to the same components.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical terms used herein have the samemeanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art towhich the invention pertains. The embodiments of the invention and thevarious features and advantageous details thereof are explained morefully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples thatare described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings anddetailed in the following description. It should be noted that thefeatures illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale,and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments asthe skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly statedherein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniquesmay be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of theinvention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate anunderstanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and tofurther enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments ofthe invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which isdefined solely by the appended claims and applicable law. Moreover, itis noted that like reference numerals reference similar parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

FIG. 1 is shows a vehicle window assembly 100, according to an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, vehicle windowassembly 100 includes a photochromic window 101, and a frame 102surrounding the window 101. The frame may be part of, for example, avehicle cabin, a vehicle door, a vehicle roof, a windshield frame, arear window frame, a door frame, a roof window frame, etc. In someexamples, the frame 102 may be sized and configured for mounting to thecabin of a vehicle.

The photochromic window may include one or more regions (e.g. 110-116and 120-126) configured to at least partially inhibit transmission oflight in a frequency range upon exposure to a level of light. Thenumber, shape and size of the various regions 110-116 and 120-126depicted in FIG. 1 are merely exemplary. Various other numbers, shapesand sizes are also contemplated within the scope of the invention. Insome examples the window 101 may include a uniform photochromic regionover the entire window, or one or more of regions 110-116 and/or 120-126may include different photochromicity. For example, for a windshield,rear window and/or door window, the upper regions 110-116 may have ahigher photochromicity than that of lower regions 120-126.

In embodiments, the window 101 may be configured to inhibit transmissionof light in a given frequency range by changing a transmittance throughthe window 101 (or designated regions of the window 101) from greaterthan 90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than 20%, less than 10%,or 5%. In embodiments, the transmittance of the window 101 (or one ormore regions 110-116 and/or 120-126) may vary between more than twolevels and/or progressively from a maximum transmittance to a minimumtransmittance.

In some examples, the photochromicity of window 101 may also vary in alinear or non-linear manner within one or more regions 110-116 and/or120-126, from top to bottom and/or left to right.

In embodiments, the frequency range of the light inhibited by the one ormore of regions 110-116 and/or 120-126 may be limited to a rangeincluding at least some visible spectra of light, for example 400 to1071 THz, 400 to 800 THz, 667 to 1071 THz, 667 to 800 THz, etc.Inhibiting light in this range may be beneficial, for example, toimprove visibility in intense light and/or glare situations, reducecabin heating, protect occupants' eyes and/or skin, and/or protect thevehicle interior.

In embodiments, the frequency range of the light inhibited by the one ormore of regions 110-116 and/or 120-126 may be limited to or include aninfrared spectrum of light, for example 37 to 400 THz, 214 to 400 THz,100 to 214 THz, 37-100 THz, and combinations thereof. Inhibiting lightin this range may be beneficial, for example, to reduce cabin heating,and/or protect occupants' eyes (e.g. the lens and the cornea) and/orskin (e.g. from harmful combinations of UV, visible light, andinfrared).

In embodiments, the frequency range of the light inhibited by the one ormore of regions 110-116 and/or 120-126 may be limited to or include anultraviolet spectrum of light, for example 800 THz to 30 PHz. Inhibitinglight in this range may be beneficial, for example, to improvevisibility in intense light and/or glare situations, protect occupants'eyes and/or skin from photokeratitis, and/or protect the vehicleinterior from UV degradation including discoloration, fading, cracking,loss of strength or disintegration.

In embodiments, inhibiting the transmission of the light may include atleast one of absorption or reflection of the light, depending, forexample, on the type of photochromic material used. Possiblephotochromic materials that may be used include spiropyrans,spirooxazines, diarylethers, azobenzenes, photochromic quinones and/orinorganic photochromics. In some embodiments, the photochromic windowmay include microcrystalline silver halides, tailored to respond to alevel of ultraviolet light.

In embodiments, the window assembly 100 may be a roof window comprisingover 25%, 50% or 75% of the surface area of a roof of the cabin. In suchcases, the regions 110-116 and/or 120-126 may have uniformphotochromicity or the photochromicity may vary, for example, from leftto right as shown in FIG. 1 (e.g. from the front to the back ofvehicle).

Further details of an exemplary roof window (i.e. a moonroof) are shownin FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, a vehicle 200 may include a windowassembly 201 including one or more photochromic windows 202. Preferably,the roof windows 202 comprise over 75% of the surface area of a roof ofthe vehicle cabin. The one or more windows 202 may include variousphotochromic regions, as described above for window 101. For example,the window 202 may be configured to change a transmittance through thewindow 202 (or designated regions of the window 202) from greater than90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than 20%, less than 10%, or5%. In other examples, the window 202 (or regions of the window 202) mayinclude a permanent tint so that the window and/or regions change atransmittance from an in initial transmittance in a range between 90% to50%, to at least one of less than 50%, less than 20%, less than 10%, or5% (or progressively from a maximum transmittance to a minimumtransmittance in those ranges).

Further details of a vehicle including an exemplary roof window assembly201 (as shown in FIG. 2), along with additional photochromic windows,are shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, a vehicle 300 may include awindow assembly 201 including one or more photochromic windows 202. Thewindow assembly 201 and one or more photochromic windows 202 may beconfigured as described above. The vehicle 300 may also include one ormore of photochromic windshield assembly 301, photochromic rear windowassembly 311, and/or photochromic door window assembly 321.

The photochromic windshield assembly 301 may include one or morephotochromic windows 302. The one or more windows 302 may includevarious photochromic regions, as described above for window 101. Forexample, the window 302 may be configured to change a transmittancethrough the window 302 (or designated regions of the window 302) fromgreater than 90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than 20%, lessthan 10%, or 5%. Preferably, one or more upper regions in window 302have higher degrees of photochromicity than the lower region(s) of thewindow. For example, upper region(s) may be configured to change atransmittance from greater than 90% to less than 20%, or less than 10%(or progressively from a maximum transmittance to a minimumtransmittance in those ranges), and the lower region(s) may beconfigured to change a transmittance from greater than 90% to less than90%, or less than 50%, (or progressively from a maximum transmittance toa minimum transmittance in those ranges). In other examples, upperregion(s) of the window 302 may include a permanent tint so that, evenwith a uniform photochromic inhibition, changes in transmittance of theupper region(s) are within a lower range than the rest of thewindshield. For example, if the upper region(s) have a permanent tintthat results in a transmittance of 90% absent any photochromic changes,the upper region may vary between a maximum transmittance of 90% and aminimum transmittance of 40% (assuming a maximum photochromic inhibitionof 50%), whereas the other region(s) may vary between a maximumtransmittance of 100% and a minimum transmittance of 50% (assuming thesame maximum photochromic inhibition of 50%). Other values andconfigurations are also possible.

The photochromic rear window assembly 311 may include one or morephotochromic windows 312. The one or more windows 312 may includevarious photochromic regions, as described above for window 101. Forexample, the window 312 may be configured to change a transmittancethrough the window 312 (or designated regions of the window 312) fromgreater than 90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than 20%, lessthan 10%, or 5%. Preferably, one or more upper regions in window 312have higher degrees of photochromicity than the lower region(s) of thewindow. For example, upper region(s) may be configured to change atransmittance from greater than 90% to less than 20%, or less than 10%(or progressively from a maximum transmittance to a minimumtransmittance in those ranges), and the lower region(s) may beconfigured to change a transmittance from greater than 90% to less than90%, or less than 50%, (or progressively from a maximum transmittance toa minimum transmittance in those ranges). In other examples, one or moreregions of the window 312 may include a permanent tint so that, evenwith a uniform photochromic inhibition, changes in transmittance of theone or more regions are within a lower range than the rest of thewindshield. For example, if the one or more regions have a permanenttint that results in a transmittance of 80% absent any photochromicchanges, the upper region may vary between a maximum transmittance of80% and a minimum transmittance of 20% (assuming a maximum photochromicinhibition of 60%), whereas the other region(s) may vary between amaximum transmittance of 100% and a minimum transmittance of 40%(assuming the same maximum photochromic inhibition of 60%). Other valuesand configurations are also possible.

The photochromic door window assembly 321 may include one or morephotochromic windows 322. The one or more windows 322 may includevarious photochromic regions, as described above for window 101. Forexample, the window 322 may be configured to change a transmittancethrough the window 322 (or designated regions of the window 322) fromgreater than 90% to at least one of less than 50%, less than 20%, lessthan 10%, or 5%. Preferably, one or more regions in window 322 havehigher degrees of photochromcity than other region(s) of the window. Forexample, one region may be configured to change a transmittance fromgreater than 90% to less than 20%, or less than 10% (or progressivelyfrom a maximum transmittance to a minimum transmittance in thoseranges), and other region(s) may be configured to change a transmittancefrom greater than 90% to less than 90%, or less than 50%, (orprogressively from a maximum transmittance to a minimum transmittance inthose ranges). In other examples, one or more regions of the window 322may include a permanent tint so that, even with a uniform photochromicinhibition, changes in transmittance of the one or more regions arewithin a lower range than the rest of the windshield. For example, ifthe one or more regions have a permanent tint that results in atransmittance of 70% absent any photochromic changes, the upper regionmay vary between a maximum transmittance of 70% and a minimumtransmittance of 10% (assuming a maximum photochromic inhibition of60%), whereas the other region(s) may vary between a maximumtransmittance of 100% and a minimum transmittance of 40% (assuming thesame maximum photochromic inhibition of 60%). Other values andconfigurations are also possible.

According to further aspects of the invention, a vehicle including oneor more photochromic windows, such as vehicle 200 and/or 300, may beprovided. In some examples, such vehicles may be assembled by thevehicle manufacturer including one or more of the windows describedherein. In other examples, vehicles may be refitted with such windows.

According to further aspects of the invention, methods of manufacturinga vehicle including one or more photochromic windows, as describedherein, may be provided. Such methods may generally follow conventionalvehicle assembly procedures, which are not discussed herein, but mayfurther include the installation of photochromic windows in one or morewindow frames of the vehicle cabin, e.g. windshield, rear window, doorwindow and/or roof window.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to thespecific embodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood thatthe lightweight fastening methods provided by the present disclosure canhave a variety of variations without departing from the spirit, scopeand background of the present disclosure. The description given above ismerely illustrative and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of allpossible embodiments, applications or modifications of the invention.Those of ordinary skill in the art should be still aware that,parameters in the embodiments disclosed by the present disclosure can bechanged in different manners, and these changes shall fall within thespirit and scope of the present disclosure and the claims. Thus, variousmodifications and variations of the described methods and systems of theinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departingfrom the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle window assembly, comprising: aphotochromic window; and a mounting assembly surrounding at least partof the window, the mounting assembly sized and configured for mountingto the cabin of a vehicle, wherein the photochromic window is configuredto reduce an intensity of a light , the photochromic window including afirst photochromic region, a second photochromic region, and a thirdphotochromic region, wherein the first photochromic region has a firstdegree of photochromcity, the second photochromic region has a seconddegree of photochromcity, and the third photochromic region has thirddegree of photochromcity, wherein the first degree of photochromcity ishigher than the second degree of photochromcity, and second degree ofphotochromcity is higher than the third degree of photochromcity.
 2. Thewindow assembly of claim 1, wherein the first photochromic region isconfigured to reduce the intensity of the light in a first frequencyrange, the second photochromic region is configured to reduce theintensity of the light in a second frequency range and the thirdphotochromic region is configured to reduce the intensity of the lightin a third frequency range.
 3. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein afrequency range of the light includes a visible spectrum of light. 4.The window assembly of claim 1, wherein a frequency range of the lightincludes an infrared spectrum of light.
 5. The window assembly of claim1, wherein a frequency range of the light includes an ultravioletspectrum of light.
 6. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the windowincludes at least one of a windshield, a rear window, a door window, ora roof window.
 7. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the window isa roof window comprising over 75% of the surface area of a roof of thecabin.
 8. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein reducing the intensityof the light includes at least one of absorption or reflection of thelight.
 9. The window assembly of claim 1, wherein the photochromicwindow includes microcrystalline silver halides and the level of lightincludes an intensity of ultraviolet light.
 10. The window assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the first, second or third region is smaller than thetotal surface area of the photochromic window.
 11. A vehicle cabinwindow, comprising: a window pane sized and configured for mounting to acabin of a vehicle; a first photochromic region configured to reduce anintensity of an infrared spectrum of light or an ultraviolet spectrum oflight and having a first degree of photochromcity; a second photochromicregion configured to the intensity of the infrared spectrum of light orthe ultraviolet spectrum of light and having a second degree ofphotochromcity; and a third photochromic region configured to theintensity of the infrared spectrum of light or the ultraviolet spectrumof light and having a third degree of photochromcity; and, wherein thefirst degree of photochromcity is higher than the second degree ofphotochromcity, and second degree of photochromcity is higher than thethird degree of photochromcity.
 12. The window of claim 11, wherein thefirst photochromic region is configured to reduce the intensity of thelight in a first frequency range, the second photochromic region isconfigured to reduce the intensity of the light in a second frequencyrange and the third photochromic region is configured to reduce theintensity of the light in a third frequency range.
 13. The window ofclaim 11, wherein a frequency range of the infrared spectrum of light orthe ultraviolet spectrum of light includes an infrared spectrum oflight.
 14. The window of claim 11, wherein a frequency range of theinfrared spectrum of light or the ultraviolet spectrum of light includesan ultraviolet spectrum of light.
 15. The window of claim 11, whereinthe window includes at least one of a windshield, a door window, or aroof window.
 16. The window of claim 11, wherein the window is a roofwindow comprising over 75% of the surface area of a roof of the cabin.17. The window of claim 11, wherein reducing the intensity of the lightincludes at least one of absorption or reflection of the light.
 18. Thewindow of claim 11, wherein the first, second or third region is smallerthan the total surface area of the photochromic window.
 19. The windowof claim 11, wherein reducing the intensity of the light by the firstphotochromic region includes changing a transmittance of the light inthe frequency range through the first photochromic region from greaterthan 90% to less than 50%.